Elizabeth Mullen, a 23-year-old Carroll University senior majoring in Animal Behavior & Biology, works with Billy, a Brittany mix A.D.O.P.T. shelter dog. Elizabeth has a pouch full of treats, and any time Billy does something desirable, she treats him. Positive reinforcement , never punishment, is key to successful behavior training, says Elizabeth (photo: L. Kane).

Elizabeth Mullen, a 23-year-old Carroll University senior majoring in Animal Behavior & Biology, works with Billy, a Brittany mix A.D.O.P.T. shelter dog. Elizabeth has a pouch full of treats, and any time Billy does something desirable, she treats him. Positive reinforcement , never punishment, is key to successful behavior training, says Elizabeth (photo: L. Kane). (Posted By Linda Kane, Community Contributor)

Since her birth almost a year ago, Tiana has experienced more than most one year olds. Escaping death, Tiana, her mother and two sisters eventually found themselves homeless, living in a Naperville, Illinois shelter.

Tiana’s mom and siblings soon found loving homes.

But not Tiana.

Tiana remained at the shelter, now its longest resident.

Tiana, a coonhound at Naperville’s A.D.O.P.T. (Animals Deserving of Proper Treatment) Pet Shelter, has behavior problems; she doesn’t want to share her food when other dogs are around. Full of energy, she needs a family who will be patient with her and help her continue to learn the correct doggy manners initiated by A.D.O.P.T. staff and volunteers.

Shelters across the country are full of dogs like Tiana. According to animalwelfare.areavoices.com/2011, “the number one reason dogs are surrendered to animal shelters is because of behavior problems.”

Additionally, “one out of five dogs is euthanized for behavior problems that could have been prevented with proper education and quality dog training.”

A.D.O.P.T. Pet Shelter is determined to do something about these sad statistics.

Help comes to the rescue

Matthew (Matt) Pritz, 25, has always loved dogs. In fact, as he was studying for his business administration degree, Matt decided he also wanted to get involved in the dog training industry.

“I saw a need for quality dog trainers and thought that would be a really great niche for me as an in-home instructor,” Matt said.

While studying for his business degree, Matt simultaneously took an online training course to become a certified dog instructor. Then, combining his business degree with his skill as a trainer, Matt, in 2011, started his own business, K-9 Intel.

“I really wanted to make sure that the quality for dog training was there,” Matt said, “and that I [was] able to hold myself to a higher standard than anybody else.”

Specializing in private, in-home training, which Matt says is “by far the most effective way [to train a dog],” the young entrepreneur began promoting his business by visiting veterinarians, animal hospitals, pet stores and shelters.

About a month ago, Matt had his first consultation with A.D.O.P.T.’s Animal Care Manager Karen Pentimone about helping Tiana and other hard-to-adopt dogs by creating a behavior program for the shelter.

“We brainstormed my philosophy and how we’d proceed with training,” Matt said. “The behavior program that I want to build [at A.D.O.P.T. includes] educating the staff members and volunteers, getting everybody on the same page.

“[I need to] have somebody there who can continuously follow through and build off the base we’re going to set.”

As luck would have it

At approximately the same time, 23-year-old college senior Elizabeth Mullen, Wheaton resident, began an animal behavior internship with A.D.O.P.T., a requirement for her field of study, animal behavior and biology, at Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

Ultimately wanting to work with exotic animals and conservation, Elizabeth first applied to several Waukesha-area zoos, but found that “where they were located didn’t have very good housing options, so I decided to stay closer to home.”

Having volunteered at A.D.O.P.T. before going away to school, Elizabeth decided to contact the Naperville shelter.

It was a perfect match.

The shelter needed help with difficult dogs like Tiana, and Elizabeth’s timing couldn’t be more perfect.

“Before I came to A.D.O.P.T., I had another internship at a shelter called HAWS (Human Animal Welfare Society) in Wisconsin,” Elizabeth said. “They have a very well established behavior department.

“[There] I was trained by behaviorists and dog trainers how to work with dogs. [Also], in my college classes we studied positive reinforcement and operative conditioning. So I brought [with me] all those skills and knowledge.”

Thus began the relationship between A.D.O.P.T., Matt and Elizabeth.

“Karen (Pentimone) contacted [Matt] for help, and at the same time, I was coming in, so we all met,” Elizabeth said.

The perfect team effort

Matt and Elizabeth agree that positive reinforcement is the way to go. According to Matt’s K-9 Intel website (www.K-9intel.com), “K-9 Intel works solely off positive reinforcement…NEVER negative punishment.”

Currently, Elizabeth works one-on-one with Tiana as well as other dogs three days a week. She takes the animal to a private room, where she teaches it using visual hand cues.

“I have a pouch full of treats,” Elizabeth said, “and any time the dog does something desirable, I treat him. That forms associations of ‘If I do this, then this happens.’

“She’s very knowledgeable,” said Cindy who has been with the shelter eight years. “[And] she really likes what she’s doing.” Dawn, who just joined the staff in January, added that Elizabeth has been both informative and interesting.

What does the future hold?

When Elizabeth graduates in May, Matt will continue building the program with the help of A.D.O.P.T. staff and volunteers.

“A lot of what I do, even when I go to somebody’s home, is coaching and educating,” Matt said. “It’s getting everybody on the same page and educating them on what dog training really is [and] what dogs see.”

Although Matt began his business in Will County, he says he will go “wherever there’s a behavior problem,” adding that he’s traveled to a lot of different facilities but has been “incredibly impressed by the [A.D.O.P.T.] facility.

“It’s a beautiful and very nice facility,” Matt said.

--Author's Update: At press time, Tiana has finally found her forever home with a loving family.